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Chapter 10: ECHO: Autumn of the Dragon
*spoiler alert*
Chapter 10 gives quite a bit away!
TIME PLAYS TRICKS
Knowledgeis a powerful tool and also a burden.
~ Scroll ofWisdom ~
THE NEW DAY brought with it rain,torrents of it, so much that Kelby muttered about volcanoes snuffing forever.The water found every gap, running in rivulets under clothes. Within minutes ofits beginning, all were thoroughly drenched and utterly dispirited.
Notbothering with a warm drink or food, they headed for the trees, hoping thecanopy would offer some relief. It did, but it also heralded a different kindof tension. The band waiting in the forest was not small, and all were armed.Only Moira smiled something akin to welcome.
“Thoughtshe said no real weapons,” Ilan grumbled from the rear.
Oreunhad taken to wing as they vanished into the trees and could not rebut. Echopressed his lips together and approached the woman. “You expecting us to giveyou trouble?” he asked, flicking a wrist at the nearest man, this one adark-skinned muscle statue, hefting a mace able to slay a giant.
“Precautiononly,” she said. “We know what you can do.”
“Thenyou must know even your fastest bowman will be slower than I am.”
“True,but what about your men? Can they defend themselves?”
Shehad a point, and wasn’t it his wet state causing his bad mood, not thesituation under the trees. That, and his simmering anger towards a dragonnekeeping secrets. “Lead on.”
Incliningher head, she did just that, heading deeper into the forest. The men and womenwith her encircled Echo and the seamen. He said not a word, simply picking upthe pace to match hers. Walking might at least create warmth. An intriguingmixture of people, he noted, the result of many generations. Light and darkskins, eye colour ranged through the usual spectrum, excluding the yellow ofValleur, hair from fair to black, tall and average height, slim build to thatone with his bulging biceps. Once they were Senlu and Airolan, today they weresomething new, much like humankind elsewhere with their range of features.
Moirasoon fell back after indicating to someone to take the lead. She moved intostep next to him. “You’re dissecting us.”
“Merelyobserving.”
“Valleurtend to regard others as lesser because they don’t have race traits.”
Hehuffed a laugh. “I think that’s your judgement, not mine.”
“Butit is true that Valleur are golden haired and eyed.”
“Forthe most part, yes. Here on Luvanor that has changed somewhat.”
“Onlysomewhat. Because of the human influx at one stage.”
“Hmm,one could say you have human ancestors in your mix also. Senlu are largelyred-haired and blue eyed, and it seems the Airolan were similar, and yet I seefar more than that.”
Sheshrugged. “Might be. Does it matter?”
“Notto me.”
Asigh sounded. “You may be right. The judgement is mine.”
Echogave her a skew smile. “The Valleur criticize themselves, too.”
Thetrees, he realised, had become thicker, larger, with more undergrowthprevalent. The evergreens now hosted orange and yellow foliaged boles, provingautumn was indeed the season. Varied birdsong abounded, obvious even over thedrumming rain – the latter had mercifully lessened due to the thickened growth.They had clearly entered an older section, and he noticed they followed anarrow path, one well-trodden, forcing them into two abreast. This route wasused frequently, probably for the fish in the lake. Also, it grew darker.
“Mountainshadow,” Moira offered.
Hebit the inside of his cheek. She read his thoughts, or she was well-versed inbody language and facial expressions. He carefully kept his expression neutral… only to hear her chuckle. Stopping, he folded his arms.
“I’mmerely putting myself in your shoes,” she chortled, halting as well. “Rightnow, you’re wondering if I can read your thoughts. I can’t. I simply saw youfrown at the trees as if speculating where the light went.”
“Youread people well.”
Shegrimaced. “People watching. There’s not much to do here by way ofentertainment. Especially in winter.”
Theothers stepped around them and went on. Watching that, Echo murmured, “You havestatus. They say nothing.”
“Seemsyou read people well, too.”
Shakinghis head, he grunted, “Do you think you can give me a straight answer?”
“Myparents are Arkwell’s current Pillars, which makes me de facto mouthpieceeverywhere else.”
Pillars?Interesting choice. Echo said as much.
“Whenyou see the town, you’ll understand why. Pillars abound,” Moira laughed. “Come.If we keep this pace, we can reach Lillivale by nightfall.” She strode on,throwing over her shoulder, “More ruins to tell more of our story.”
LILLIVALE, when they reached it, possessedanother tower, although not as sprawling or tall as Malaya’s Folly. It remindedEcho of a space gantry, one where nature had reclaimed the structure. Hepointed that out to Alain now keeping him company.
“Thiswas to keep an eye out for fires,” the man responded. “The launch platform forthe ships was to the east where the land is flat. Most of that is gone; anearthquake swallowed the buildings and broke the plateau. Marshland now.”
Theedifice had been constructed on high terrain. Below, to the south, glints onwater revealed another lake … and … Echo squinted in the growing dark. “Is thata wall?”
Alainnodded. “Water break when there was far more of it in the old days. Boats usedto anchor in the calm behind it.” He pointed out various buildings and jettiesabove the subsided water line. “Folk came here to have fun, sail, you know,drink. We still use Lillivale to break our journey when the fish swim.”
“Yes,Echo, guess what? You’ll be sleeping dry tonight,” Moira said as sheapproached. “The cottages are in good repair. This remains a site for keepingthe fire watch, so there’s always four residents on a rotational basis.”
“Goodnews,” he murmured.
Rollingher eyes, she told Alain to lead the seamen to a cottage, and then took Echo’sarm. “Come with me.”
Allowingher to tug him in her wake, noting a row of forest hued cottages on his rightoverlooking the lake, he wondered where Oreun had got to, and sent the thoughtinto the ether. I shall be with you in the morning, was the reply. Andno more. She shut him out without even a waft of apology. Why? Had Oreun chosento allow the humanoids to connect first before becoming involved … or was sheabout some other secretive thing? His simmering anger became a strengtheningglow of fury, but he schooled his face. Had to behave right now.
“Ooo,you’re clamping emotion down,” Moira said upon looking back. She slowed to walknext to him, hooking her arm through his. “What’s got you so mad? Don’t denyit. Your face doesn’t tell the tale, but your body does.” She briefly squeezedhis upper arm.
“Oreun,”he said reluctantly.
“Ah.Keeper of Secrets, that one.”
Theovergrown tower came into view. At ground level there was a deck serving as aviewing platform, currently unoccupied, and was that a telescope? Echo said nota word, leaving it up to his guide to inform him. She, in fact, led him to thedevice, gestured. Shrugging, he put his eye to the contraption … and rearedback.
“Whatthe hell?” he blurted.
“Technologyand magic,” she murmured. “Look again.”
Warily,he did as bid. The land lit for him like to the noonday, to show every curveand dip, all of it in various shades of green and amber. The gadget employedthe night vision principle, clearly, but the hues were a spell, had to be.Ingenious. And it meant these people were versed in sorcery. Huffing, he usedthe opportunity to gaze far, and saw in the distance a large light signature.
“That’sArkwell.”
Ah.Swinging the device, he noted other tiny points of light. Villages, no doubt.He also saw an ominous shadow … “Mount Vassyn, I assume.”
“Indeed.”
“Whatis it you wish for me to discover with my own eyes?” he bit out. “A clue willhelp.”
Laughingunder her breath, Moira said, “South and west, ground level.”
At first,he missed it, but on carefully shifting the eyepiece, well, there it was,except … what in all gods’ names was it? A circle of rotating light, sparkingakin to electricity … oh. Oh. He reared up. “A portal?”
“Rightfirst time,” Moira whispered. “And now you know why we came to meet you, EchaynValla.”
“DoesOreun know of this?”
“Ofcourse.”
Bloodyhell. Fucking, bloody hell. “Oreun!” he hollered. “Get your arse hereright now!”
Meremoments later a rainbow skittered in the air nearby, and then the dragonnelanded in a flap of wings below the platform. She snorted a fire stream hisway. Watch your manners!
“Fuckmanners,” he snarled, vaulting over the railing to stride towards her. “Youwant my help, you start talking now.”
Bythe time he stood before the massive creature, all in Lillivale knew somethingwas afoot, for they gathered in a semi-circle, including his men. Moiraremained on the platform, leaning on her forearms.
“Wherethe fuck does that portal lead to?” Echo demanded.
“TheKallanon realm.”
Eyesnarrowing, he whispered, “That’s how Neolone came to this universe?”
“No,he employed a rift the Q’lin’la created, one subsequently sealed. The portalhere came much later, when the Kallanon uncovered the One prophecy and neededinsight. They brought Neolone home as you have heard, but he did notknow. He wasn’t lying about that. I was tasked with keeping the portal safe …”
“Becausethey found you when it opened. This is why you yet live.”
“Theother reason is true also. I wasn’t lying about that.”
“Whydoes it remain open?” he demanded.
Sheinhaled a massive breath to release it as steam. “How do you think Nefilim cameto your aid recently? It is the swiftest way to reach …”
“Torrullin.”
“TheOne, after all, not so? He is important to the Kallanon.”
Scrubbingat his face, Echo muttered, “And so a world sentience creates havoc here forreasons as stated, but also because, by god, one must with all one isfucking keep a portal from common view.”
“Justso.”
“Youbloody evicted the Senlu! You did the same to the Airolan. Why, pray tell, haveyou between the two of you allowed these people to live here? Are theynot a danger to your bloody tear in the fucking fabric?”
“Yes.”
Hestared at her, and then twisted his head to peer up at Moira, saying, “You willbe thrown off Senluar soon.”
“Whichis why we need you,” she said quietly.
“Doyou trust this dragonne?”
“Wedo. Oreun told us the day would come. The closer we are to magical transport,the more dangerous we are to this secret.”
Transportability. Really. He swung back to the dragonne. “You dampen transport. You keepthem back …”
“Tosave them, Echo.”
“Yes,fine, I understand that, but you will lift the veil now. I am going downto that portal forthwith.”
Shestared at him.
Heglared at her.
“Itis lifted,” she eventually said.
Withoutfurther ado, Echo vacated the space he occupied. A thought swirled in theeither, one he waved aside and then forgot about. Why was it that some of thegathered had looked at him as if he was insane … as if he spoke to himself, notthe massive creature answering his questions?
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ALONE, he squatted in shale and dampriver sand. Water surrounded the portal, evidence of another lake. It meant,given the level had dropped exponentially since ancient time, the portal wasonce underwater, probably why no one knew of it. Senlu records certainly didn’tmention it. Man, Teighlar would have bent his ear had he known of itsexistence. Torrullin would have investigated already. His forte, afterall.
Ameans for the Kallanon to enter Reaume. Clever.
Ameans, thus, for others to enter the Kallanon realm? Could it be done? Echoyanked at his hair in frustration. Only Torrullin could answer that question.Fuck. Fuck, fuck.
Oreunlanded lightly nearby. “I have made oaths I cannot simply undo, Echo.”
Allhis anger bled away. He knew how it was to speak words of forever promise, andhow keeping them bowed one. “I understand.”
“Thankyou.”
Hestood. “But now we need deal with this. It cannot be left unattended. You won’tbe watching as closely as you have until now …”
“ThePillars of Arkwell watch also.”
“Gladto hear you have help, but they are not enough. The Kallanon are a force Reaumecannot deal with. Should some idiot decide to dive into that thing and wakethem to a potential threat of invasion, they will act.”
“Theywill go to Lord Elixir first for clarity.”
Throwinghis hands up, he growled, “You’re saying he needs to know. Did you not say heis too much for this misadventure?”
“Heneeds to know, Echo, but he doesn’t need to come here.”
“ForAaru’s sake, the instant I tell him, is also the instant he makes anappearance. This shit is what Torrullin does best. A bloody Walker of Realms,after all.”
“Therefore,the last person who should stand on the edge of this portal. Torrullin willenter, and what will that do to the Kallanon?”
Again,he yanked at his hair, pulling a handful free of the tie in the nape of hisneck. “Fine. What do you suggest?”
“Karydor.”
Hmm.Yes, that could work. Tell Karydor, who would then impress on his son to stayput, that he, Echo, had it in hand. But … “I’m not calling Karydor into thismess. I will go to …”
“LeaveSenluar now, and Rein will obliterate all sentient life here.”
Hisanger returned, full-blown. “What the fuck is wrong with everyone? And, damnit, I can’t properly communicate the nuances to Karydor across the spaces.It’ll take days to make him understand.”
Oreunlowered her head. “Write to him. I shall see it delivered.”
Right.Good idea. Logical. He huffed. “Fine.” Waving a hand, he summarily vanished,and did not hear the dragonne’s displeased grunt. Arriving back on the platformwhere Moira still stood, he said, “I need writing materials. Can you help?”
Reiningin her astonishment, she nodded. “At the Watch. They keep records of firesighting. Come with me.”
December 16, 2023
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